First, thank you for providing this service which goes above and beyond the call. I'm a 20 year old male, first noticed a lymph node in the right side of my neck (the posterior triangle) about 2 1/2 years ago. I didn't think much of it. However, I recently "re-discovered" the node and have since become obsessed with it. It never goes away, but also stays consistent in its size and shape and is also painless. Recently (within the past month) I began having night sweats, that might indicate an underlying illness. Then I became terrified that I may have lypmhoma. However, I have experienced no weight loss, or fevers. I have even gained 10-15 pounds in the last 9 months, and my appetite has remained consistent. I went to the doctor at my university, and he said not to worry about it that it could just be what he called a "scarred lymph node." I can't really feel any other nodes and wouldn't be overly worried if it weren't for the night sweats, which seem to stop when I cool down the room or use fewer covers. Could the sweats be caused simply because I worry so much about this node? How worried should I be about this? Thanks in advance.

Response from Dr. Dezube

I have posted on many occasions guidelines on how to tell worrisome nodes from less worrisome nodes. Even with these guidelines, however, from time to time some folks, such as you, obsess over one specific lymph node. My recommendation would be to have the lymph node removed. It's a relatively minor procedure. Hopefully that will take care of your obsession. If you do get it taken out, and you just find another object to obsess over, then I would recommend professional help. For many patients, just removing the source of obsession is enough to bring peace of mind.

This forum is designed for educational purposes only, and experts are not rendering medical, mental health, legal or other professional advice or services. If you have or suspect you may have a medical, mental health, legal or other problem that requires advice, consult your own caregiver, attorney or other qualified professional.

Experts appearing on this page are independent and are solely responsible for editing and fact-checking their material. Neither TheBody.com nor any advertiser is the publisher or speaker of posted visitors' questions or the experts' material.

The Body is a service of Remedy Health Media, LLC, 750 3rd Avenue, 6th Floor, New York, NY 10017. The Body and its logos are trademarks of Remedy Health Media, LLC, and its subsidiaries, which owns the copyright of The Body's homepage, topic pages, page designs and HTML code. General Disclaimer: The Body is designed for educational purposes only and is not engaged in rendering medical advice or professional services. The information provided through The Body should not be used for diagnosing or treating a health problem or a disease. It is not a substitute for professional care. If you have or suspect you may have a health problem, consult your health care provider.